Woman Concealed Husband’s Suicide to Combat Mental Health Stigma

A woman, who initially misrepresented the circumstances of her husband’s passing to safeguard his memory following his suicide, has expressed her desire to diminish the stigma associated with depression within the Muslim community. Ayaz, a resident of Doncaster, passed away in 2019; however, his wife, Akeela Mohammed, initially informed relatives and acquaintances that his death was due to a heart attack. Nevertheless, she subsequently came to understand the importance of individuals openly discussing their mental health and seeking assistance. The previous month, she inaugurated Doncaster’s inaugural Muslim Wellness Conference, an initiative designed to confront societal taboos surrounding suicide and depression. She stated: “It doesn’t make you a lesser Muslim if you are struggling with your mental health problems.” Ms Mohammed described Ayaz, who was 48 at the time of his death, as an “amazing person and dad”. She commented: “On the surface he looked a really strong person, a happy person, but in the end these demons got him.” For a period of six months, Ms Mohammed concealed the actual reason for his death, believing that people would not comprehend his struggles with mental health issues. She remarked: “I knew what they would say.” She elaborated: “As a Muslim man, you’re seen as the head of the family and where do you go? Who would you talk to? You can’t talk to your community because no one does.” According to Ms Mohammed, Muslims are raised with the conviction that suicide is prohibited. She noted the scarcity of “not many organisations” specifically dedicated to assisting Muslims experiencing depression. She further stated: “When you think your community are going to think you’re crazy, or they don’t want you to talk about it openly – you’re going to hide it, and that’s going to make it more difficult.” The Muslim Wellness Conference, orchestrated by Ms Mohammed, took place in Doncaster on 23 November. Imam Habeeb Minhas, affiliated with Doncaster’s Sultania Mosque, addressed the gathering and commented: “There’s a lot of stigma around mental health, especially in our Muslim community. It’s a very taboo subject and not spoken of.” He expressed his hope that the conference would “open the doors so people can be vocal about what issues they are going through”. Ms Mohammed articulated her objective as enhancing the availability of support for individuals grappling with mental health challenges, thereby preventing them from enduring an experience similar to her husband’s. She concluded: “I hope he would be proud of what we are doing now.” Individuals impacted by the subjects discussed in this report can find additional assistance through BBC Action Line. Highlights from South Yorkshire are available on BBC Sounds, the most recent episode of Look North can be viewed, or you can submit a story you believe warrants coverage here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available for review.